The floor of the Dáil Éireann, the principal chamber of Irish parliament.
Ireland’s Civil Partnership Bill received approval
Thursday from the Dáil, one of the houses of the nation's parliament, The Irish Times reports.
The legislation now moves to the Seanad, Ireland's senate, and if
approved there will go to the President Mary McAleese to be signed into
law in August. It is not expected to become law until fall.
The bill has received widespread support, although some individual lawmakers and the nation’s Catholic bishops have voiced opposition. Legislators have dismissed the bishops’ concern that the bill may be unconstitutional.
Kieran Rose, chair of the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, praised the legislation, "Today is a historic advance not just for lesbian and gay couples, but for everyone in Ireland," he said in a statement. "It is a major civil rights reform and a great achievement for Irish society.”
Rose, however, said the bill does not include recognition and support for children of same-sex parents, which is "a continuing area of concern" and a "critical omission."
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said the bill reflects changes in Irish society.
"Our society has changed substantially in recent decades,’’ he said. “While marriage is more popular than ever, other forms of relationships have become increasingly common; they create some difficulties in the legal system and require in our law a measure of recognition and of protection."
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